Product Design, Use & End of Life

THIS SECTION PROVIDES a closer look at our portfolio to help readers gain more insight into the performance attributes and end-of-life options for our products, as well as how we are designing products and investing in our capabilities so that more of our products are reused, recycled or composted.

78%

OF APPLICABLE NOVOLEX

REVENUES CAME FROM

PRODUCTS THAT ARE

RECYCLABLE, REUSABLE

OR COMPOSTABLE.

REUSABLE, RECYCLABLE OR COMPOSTABLE

22%

78%

RECYCLABLE, COMPOSTABLE AND/OR REUSABLE

NOT RECYCLABLE, COMPOSTABLE OR REUSABLE

SASB: 410a.2: Percentage of revenue from products that are reusable, recyclable or compostable This metric considers various definitions of recyclability. For the purposes of this metric, we use How2Recycle® definitions managed by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), to classify the recyclability for our products. Those classifications include “Widely Recyclable,” “Check Locally,” “Store Drop Off” and “Not Recyclable,” which draw from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Canadian Competition Bureau claims guidance. Both agencies emphasize consumer access to recycling facilities as the primary determinant in defining the level of recyclability that can be claimed for products. For products sold in Europe, the availability of collection and processing infrastructure changes the types of products classified as “recyclable” by regulatory agencies in those markets. Compostable or reusable products included in this metric must have an accompanying third-party certification, or have been tested to verify performance consistent with regulation or accredited industry standards

Our goal in sharing this metric is to provide a transparent view of Novolex foodservice products and a meaningful key performance indicator (KPI) for assessing the disposal options for products. We also expect that sharing this information can continue to enrich the dialogue about recycling and composting and influence constructive change for the industry. Numerous innovation efforts are underway at Novolex to improve this metric in partnership with our customers, and we look forward to sharing our progress in 2022.

Non-Applicable Product Revenues

A share of Novolex products are excluded from the scope of the SASB metric because they do not appropriately classify as “recyclable” or “compostable.” Examples of these products include institutional trash can liners and vapor barrier film used in construction. While these materials are recyclable and are regularly reprocessed as post-industrial recycled content during manufacturing, these products are excluded because they are either intended to be directed to landfill, or are considered durable goods. These products make up approximately 14% of Novolex revenues. The remainder of revenues are captured in the SASB metric.

Product Innovation

Across our resin- and fiber-based products, we have continued to innovate products in partnership with our customers that increase the likelihood an item will be processed and reclaimed in a recycling or composting facility. We partner with, and rely on design guidance from, organizations including the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), Plant-Based Products Council (PBPC), Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), and Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to design our products for greater composting and recycling. We also label products to support education about the types of products that can be recycled or composted, some of which are showcased below.

Life Cycle Analysis

Novolex designs and manufactures many similar products made of different raw materials.

Novolex prides itself on being able to offer choice to customers. To help inform those choices, in 2022 Novolex is expanding the use of life cycle analysis, or “LCA” software, to quantify the benefits or impacts of different raw material and product design decisions.

We aim to use this data to drive demand with customers for more sustainable product choices.

BPI Compostable Sandwich Wraps

OUR GREASE- AND MOISTURE-RESISTANT DRY

WAX SHEETS are designed to wrap sandwiches, line baskets and weigh food. The Biodegradable Product Institute's (BPI) certification process verified our new compostable wraps. This process classifies a product "compostable" if there is scientific evidence that the product will break down or become part of stable compost in a safe and timely manner and in a properly managed commercial composting facility.

MONOAIR™ Fruit Containers

NOVOLEX NOW MANUFACTURES a monomaterial plastic soft-fruit container using the revolutionary MONOAIR™ cushion technology.

The MONOAIR™ cushion base eliminates the need for a separate glued bubble pad at the bottom of the container, while still preventing the fruit bruising in transit. This means that Waddington® Europe’s 100% recycled PET punnets are now much easier for consumers to recycle correctly, which helps to promote circularity.

Expansion of Sip Lids for Souvenir Cups

IN 2021, our Waddington North America business expanded straw-less cup lids from kid’s cups to include our larger souvenir cup line. This move, which uses a larger spout designed for adult use on larger cups, will further help reduce the use of straws when they are not needed.

Piranha™ Recyclable Containers

PIRANHA™ is a pioneering mono-material recyclable tray for meat, fish and poultry (MFP) products. Polyethylene layers or adhesives are traditionally needed for MFP products because the tray flange surface can become contaminated by greasy animal fat on the packing line, which can create a barrier between the top and bottom webs and interfere with film lid seal closure. However these adhesives can make recycling the tray more difficult. Instead, Piranha™ is sealed using a series of raised teeth that run around the sealing flange to maintain the seal’s integrity. Any greasy contaminant can be wiped away and forced into the channels between the teeth, leaving the peaks clear and clean to contact the PET top web. As a mono-material package, the tray is fully recyclable. Piranha can also be made with up to 100% recycled PET and is compliant with the UK plastics tax which imposes a tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content.

Retail Bags made with PCR

NOVOLEX HAS CONTINUED to expand the number of products that contribute to circular use of flexible polyethylene. In partnership with customers, we are aiming to engineer thin-gauge products with increasingly higher percentages of PCR. We can now offer plastic retail bags of different thicknesses that contain up to 40% PCR.

Vanguard® Sugarcane Plates and Containers

NOVOLEX EXPANDED VANGUARD

TECHNOLOGY to other products, including our WorldView™ line of to-go bowls and containers. Made from plant-based sugarcane fiber and certified as compostable, the twopiece compostable take-out containers are perfect for restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and snack bars seeking environmentally preferable options.

Eco-Products, a division of Novolex, is the first manufacturer to receive GreenScreen certification for a product in the foodservice ware category.

Vanguard recently earned the coveted GreenScreen Certified™ Silver designation for avoiding the use of PFAS and other chemicals of high concern. GreenScreen is a globally recognized certification body that assesses and benchmarks chemicals based on hazard.

Novolex and How2Recycle®

As part of our commitment to consumer education, Novolex uses the How2Recycle® and How2Compost® labels on stock products and works with customers to encourage their use on branded items. We can support you in this process!

Below, learn more about the right way to label products for consumer education.

How2Recycle® is a standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. When applicable, it includes instructions on how to properly clean a product before recycling. How2Compost™ labels inform consumers if a product is compostable in commercial composting facilities. The label is available to use on packages that have gone through the Biodegradable Product Institute’s (BPI) certification process.

BPI certification is open to products that meet the requirements in ASTM D6400 or D6868 based on testing in a BPI-approved laboratory.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Tells consumer how to prepare component for recycling.

PACKAGING TYPE

Identifies the material and packaging type.

RECYCLABILITY QUALIFIER

Indicates how the package can be recycled. "Store Drop Off" and "Check Locally" are examples of claims that qualify the level of recycling available for a product.

BPI CERTIFIED LOGO

This icon means that the item has been certified as compostable by BPI.

COMPOSTING QUALIFER

Qualifies how and where the packaging can be composted.